1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print management apparatus, a print management system, and a print management program. More particularly, it relates to a technology that when one of a plurality of image forming apparatuses is allowed, such as a copying machine, a complex machines (MFP: Multi Functional Peripheral), to perform printing, a print management apparatus allows an other image forming apparatus to perform an alternate printing.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a printing system including image forming apparatuses, such as copying machines and complex machines, is provided with a function of allowing an other image forming to perform an alternate printing in the case where a usually used image forming apparatus cannot perform printing due to errors caused by shortage in the supply of printing sheets or malfunction (e.g., jamming) during printing operation. For example, a printing system of this kind is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2004-54909. In the printing system disclosed in this publication, an information processing apparatus which generates a print job to be printed by a printing apparatus can set an alternate printing condition that inhibits a targeted printing apparatus from performing printing. In accordance with the set alternate printing condition and an operation state of the targeted printing apparatus, it is determined whether an other printing apparatus different from the targeted printing apparatus should perform the alternate printing. When it is determined that the other image forming apparatus should perform the alternate printing, the print job is transmitted to the other printing apparatus to perform the alternate printing.
In this printing system, when the alternate printing is performed by the other printing apparatus, it is necessary for the user him/herself to set conditions for the alternate printing so that the other printing apparatus outputs a print result having the same quality as the targeted printing apparatus. However, in this printing system, it is necessary for the user to manually set alternate printing conditions for each print job. Such setting operation is cumbersome and is likely to cause mistakes in operations. Since such operation which requires a user to set alternate printing conditions so as to attain a print result having the same quality as the targeted printing apparatus is burdensome for the user, improvement has been desired.